Posted on 07/02/2011 9:49:45 PM PDT by getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL
In a nutshell:
Back in May, a friend of my daughter agreed to dog-sit our 1.5 year old sweet dog while we traveled to NJ to visit my father (who has metastatic cancer and heart ailments/surgical defibrillator). For weeks prior to our trip, we were reassured this family would not be traveling over the 4th of July holiday, and that the dog-sitting was still on.
Our trip was to commence on or around the 24th of June; we fly standby non-revenue. In the 48 or so hours prior, we were informed that due to a conflict in their schedule, the family of the dog-sitter wanted us to drop off our dog early on Thursday am. (even though our plans changed to a Saturday departure.). We offered different drop-off times -- even days to work with their schedule, but they were insistent for some reason.
The sitter's mom ultimately came on the phone to explain she was heading out for the weekend -- to visit her mother and family 90 minutes away, but that they were going to take good care of our dog...she'd be with their dogs...I tried to be understanding, but of course I was crushed to see our baby off sooner than we needed. We were told they'd return home on Sunday, the 26th. Our dog has never traveled, so we felt horrible for allowing this. But since this family watched our dog last year, we felt like we could trust their word.
During our trip, we rec'd usually a text message every day from the ds (dog-sitter). Only dog-lovers & owners who understand the special bond between canine and human will truly understand.
Ffw to yesterday. We notified the sitter that we were coming home on Sat (today) and we continued to keep her updated. Upon arrival in Dallas, we didn't hear anything until two or three hours after landing. The father called us, telling us they were in another state - in the north/northeastern U.S.
Huh?
According to the dad, his wife's mother had suddenly fallen ill, and so as to not worry us, they took our dog to Ohio without notifying us. My husband would have flown back to TX had we known of their situation. Flabbergasted, scared, intimidated and shocked, I offered sincere condolences about his m-i-l...I can truly relate given my own father's poor health - and asked the obvious question -- when would we get to see our dog/when would they be back home... I was told, "I don't know. Some time next week."
But now wait -- I thought that her mother lived 90 miles away?
After hanging up the phone, my husband and daughter stared at me, wondering what was going on. Fortunately, a clearer head prevailed and my husband decided he would fly tomorrow to wherever the family was, so he could retrieve our dog. The dog-sitter's father adamantly opposed - and told my husband that their location was none of our business - that our dog was being loved on, and that they'd be home next week.
Have any of you ever heard of anything like this happening?
Add an innocent 12yo dd with Asperger's to the picture who needs her dog back. We just can't believe we weren't told at any point, the truth about our dog's location. And we would be happy to go and get her, but the family is refusing to tell us where they are.
So now what?
Thanks guys.
Please be sure to post as soon as you hear from your husband. I am praying for you and I hope everything goes well.
I thought they went to Ohio? Why is the dog in Alabama? Why does your husband have to go get the dog? Very weird happenings.
How bizarre. I hope all goes well.
What a horrible thing to do to you. I’d be like you really mad. I have two dogs and don’t trust anybody, other than my son to watch. I really hope you get the dog back in good condition and find out what happened. Nobody has the right to not let you know where your dog is.
Good Luck and let us know.
Wow, this is totally crazy. I can only imagine how stressful, consuming this is for your family. Please ping me upon resolution. My thoughts are with you and your family.
I’m going through a very, very stressful legal situation now myself, and 24/7 my mind is occupied by the matter. I imagine that you’re in the same boat right now...
Bump so I can keep track of this. It’s all probably just unavoidable circumstances, but if not, I’d certainly take them off my Christmas Card List.
Bumping to see if Zoe is home safe and sound?
Any news yet?
Hey FRiends,
Zoe is home now and laying right under my desk — as she should be.
This was the most bizarre event to speak very kindly, however, the truth is unbelievable.
If you ask me, my dog was kidnapped, dog-napped, taken out of state for over two weeks. After my initial day of posting this thread, my personal friends were there for me and they did all they could to track down this family. I learned the next day, where this family actually was — and it wasn’t in Ohio with a sick grandmother. This family was in “Gulf Shores” “on vacation.” Information came in from several people who knew this family’s whereabouts; knew they were on vacation; and that they’d never heard of an emergency regarding a grandmother who was ill. This family is a unit of liars, telling one lie after another because they needed a story to cover the fact that they took OUR DOG and traveled to the Alabama seashore when they KNEW that Zoe was afraid of car travel.
But today, my husband took the earliest flight out of Dallas to New Orleans, rented a car, drove past the Mobile bridge to Daphne where he waited over an hour for these people to give our dog back to him. He then headed back to New Orleans, where he and Zoe boarded a flight to DFW and drove on home. There were no apologies at all given to my husband - for doing this to our dog, for lying, for preventing us to fly to where they were to get her last Saturday and every day in between, and for ultimately traveling nearly to Florida to retrieve OUR DOG. This lawyer and doctor family had us jumping through hoops to get our dog back, when most normal people would think those jumping through hoops should have been them. Remember — they were on vacation the entire time and there was never an Ohio emergency nor a family gathering at her mother’s house 90 miles away.
This week has been so draining trying to cope with their sick and cruel charade. I could not post the information I’d been gathering because I wasn’t going to jeopardize a reunion with our dog even in the unlikely chance they were to be tipped off to this thread. I feel like I endured a kidnapping, walking a fine line so as not to anger the dognappers.
And since I’m so tired, I’m about to head into bed, with my sweet Zoe by my side. I’d post the condition Zoe was in when my husband received her, but I don’t want to relive that just yet. Let me just say that I could hear him choking back tears when he called to say he had her in the car.
I’m just so thankful to Him that Zoe was given back to us. She is our family just like our children. Anyone who could be cruel to an animal has no place in my life. But for now, Zoe is home, and I’m ending this day by going to bed.
Thank you for being concerned and caring enough to see how things were going. Like I said, our Zoe’s home :)
Thanks for the update. Glad Zoe is home. Bet you think twice before handing her over to others again!
Glad to hear Zoe is back home. I bet you keep her by your side for a month.
Glad she’s home okay. I’d keep contact with that family to an absolute minimum.
I am so relieved for you!I have been worrying and watching your posts as this unfolded. I know how I would feel if this happened to me, so I really feel for you. I am just so glad that this is all over.
I’m glad to hear the nightmare is over.
Just saw that Zoe’s home. I’m very happy for you and your family. What a weird family to do this. There are just too many untrustworthy people out there.
After this past week, I will never have the same level of trust with anyone. I don’t know what this dog was exposed to nor all that she had to endure. Her pictures told me she was stressed, and I had a maternal instinct that something wasn’t right the whole time we were gone. That was confirmed when we returned from our trip and be told our dog was in Ohio.
I mean, who does that without exhausting emergency contacts (including my husband, daughter and me) and local options first — to release oneself from caring for an animal, when needing to assist with the care of a loved one in another state?
I’ll tell you who — no one I know.
Even last year when we were on this same visit to the northeast to spend some time with my dad, this family phoned us mid-week to say they were needing us to come get our dog so they could fly to the Hamptons for the 4th. No problem.
None of it makes any sense. The deception, the lies, the desire to take another person’s dog with them on vacation. It’s crazy.
But just as concerning is Zoe’s behavior since coming home. For starters, Zoe was not fed her own food which we provided. All or nearly all of it was returned with the dog. I think that Zoe must have had to compete for food too, since we have noticed Zoe is right under foot when we are in the kitchen. She seems to be competing with the cat, which never used to happen. Zoe always patiently would sit and know that her turn was coming when giving them something extra at the same time. Zoe also has not eaten any of her food since coming home.
We’ve also noticed Zoe is rolling over on her side or back a lot with her paws in front of her. She moved around the bed a lot last night and was very restless which is something new. Her energy level for play isn’t as high as it always was. And whenever my husband or I leave the room, Zoe is up on her feet ready to follow. Can anyone offer any thoughts about this?
She has enjoyed her two long walks, even as hot as it is here in Dallas. About 10 o’clock last night, we noticed that Zoe had left the tv room, and we found her lying under our bed which she would only do once we were in there at night for bed. And her ears aren’t up like they usually would be. They are down by her head, so add that to the list.
I don’t want to make guesses, but it sure is hard not to. These people may skate through life doing and getting whatever they desire, but getting into heaven isn’t that easy. And keeping our dog from us for 6 agonizing days and vice versa is cruel and very, very twisted.
Thank you to everyone for the well wishes!!
The fact that they had you come home early last year because they had 4th of July plans should have been a red flag for you this time around considering they told you in advance that they were going away. That really should have been the end of it, but you gave them your dog anyway. Bet you don’t let them dog sit ever again.
As for Zoe rolling onto her back I could only guess. With cats it shows complete trust. Not sure if it means the same with dogs. Maybe they taught her to ‘play dead’?
You didn’t say what type dogs they have. They may have fed all the dogs at the same time from the same dish. The bad thing is that they messed her up for her own food.
I think in time she’ll get used to your feeding routine again. I’d get her back to her usual food soon though. Just put it out there. When she gets hungry enough she will go back to it.
My guess is the other dogs may not have liked the “competition”. On back with paws up is submissive behavior. The other dogs may have felt she was taking master’s attention away. It also sounds like she had to compete for the food. Deliberately and firmly reestablish your routines and habits, correcting odd or unusual behavior on her part. Hopefully she will get over it and return to her old self. I would never recommend leaving a dog with people who have other pets because your dog’s routine, habits and hierarchy will go all to heck. Much better to leave the dog with a professional boarder or have someone house-sit who fully understands what is expected and can be trusted to follow directions.
Glad you got Zoe back. Hopefully she’ll get back into the regular routine pretty easily. And I hope a meteor falls on that family.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.